Ordinary Time Cycle A

Christmas Mass Readings 2022

 

 

Christmas 2022

 

  

There are  4 different sets of readings depending on the mass you will attend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Below are my very informal audio clips I made while reflecting on the Christmas readings .  

 

Remember they are unedited.  

I hope, that if you wish to listen to them, they will helpful.

 

Click on the one below that you wish to listen to.

 

  Audio Reflection Midnight Mass 

 

 

 

  

Audio Reflection  Mass At Dawn 

 

 

 

 

Audio Reflection Mass During the Day

 

 

 

We know that all of us, at times, go through difficulties.

Pray that those who are in those difficult times may hold on to the hope that the coming of Christ makes for all of us. 

In spite of the times of difficulty, God will never abandon us.  

The temptations of the devil are strong in trying to make us believe,"You poor thing.

 How can this happen to you?" 

Tell the evil one to go to Hell.  

The Messiah has come today and every day.  

In our baptism He has called us by name.  

He gives us again the greatest Christmas gift we could ever want, the promise of Eternal Life

.  Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and please keep me in yours.

Fr. Doug 

 

 

 He Is Born

 

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Fourth Sunday of Advent Cycle A

 

 December 18, 2022

Fourth Sunday of Advent

 

On this 4th Sunday of Advent

The 4th candle on our Advent Wreath is lit.

 

 

The prophet Isaiah is asking King Ahaz not to turn to other political powers, but to trust God. 

King Ahaz, of the southern kingdom of Judah, was fearful of an attack from the northern kingdom of Israel (which had separated from the southern kingdom; the northern kingdom had made friends with Syria).

 

 

 

 

 

Ahaz feared that there would be an attack from the Northern Kingdom supported by the powerful Syria).  

 

 

In spite of Isaiah's words to trust in God, he refused and would not even to ask for a sign from God that he should trust God.  

 

Ahaz doubted God and had put all his trust in the pagan king of Assyria to protect Judah.

 

What a struggle it can be to trust God in times that are difficult.

 

 

St. Paul writes to the first Christian community made up of converted Jews and Gentiles, who also faced many struggles, difficulties, sufferings, etc.  He reminds them that they have been given a mission to make God present to others with the words and actions of Christ.

 

 

 

In the gospel, Joseph is faced with a very difficult situation. Jewish tradition says that a women who becomes pregnant before marriage is to be stoned to death.  What should he do with Mary, now pregnant?

 

 What is Joseph to do?

How can God work in this impossible situation? 

 

Joseph trusted the word that the angel has given to him, no doubt words from God.  And we know the result of Joseph's trust.  

 

       The Messiah is born for all humanity!

 

We, too, need to ask for the grace to have the courage to trust God, especially in those difficult times and situations, so that  Christ will be born in us, so we too can make Him present to the world.  

Think that is impossible?

 

 

We have seen God bringing the messiah, his Son, into the world in very difficult situations.

Nothing is impossible for God when we trust that He is working in our most trying and difficult situations; even with difficult people; even with His call to love the enemy.

 

 

Courage.

Wait and watch for the Lord every moment,

even in those impossible moments.

Then you will be ready for a

 

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Gaudete Sunday-3rd Sunday of Advent Cycle A

December 11, 2022

Gaudete Sunday

 

 

The priest has the option of wearing Rose/Pink vestments

 

 

 Gaudete is the word that means...Rejoice

 

There are times for each of us when we might think...What is there to Rejoice about???

Today's readings can really speak to us.  

 

In the first reading that same hope and promise that was made to the Hebrew people coming out of their horrible exile in Babylon is given to each of us. Isaiah  tells what God will do for his people.

Remember that God had taken the Hebrews out of their slavery in Egypt in the 13th century B.C. and then again taken them out of their exile in Babylon in the 6th century B.C.

 

God will do the same for us. He will always take us out of our slavery, our exile of our disbelief, our sins.

Remember God worked through the pagan King Cyrus who freed the Hebrews from their Babylonian exile.  They would find it difficult to believe that God would work through a pagan, a non believer, but He did.

 

But how hard it is to wait for God.

We want instant things from our God.

 

St. James, in the second reading, says to this early Christian Community to be  patient. God will come even for us in our difficult situations.  Are we willing to wait and watch for the Lord to come every day.  That is what this season of Advent it all about.

 

Wait & Watch

 

 

 

 

In the Gospel St. John the Baptist, while in prison, finds out that Jesus is  the Messiah, the one to come.  

John is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.

 

Those times of struggles and difficulties may well be the preparing us for the coming of the Lord into our lives.  Perhaps our struggles will help us to see our own disbelief that God will care for us.  That can be a real gift showing us our need to pray for a change of heart or for our own conversion.

 

Courage

Wait and Watch for the Lord

He is coming everyday for each of us.

 

Rejoice and always and wait for the Lord

 

Gaudete

 

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